Testing back on schedule

The Irish Sports Council's (ISC) anti-doping programme is expected to reach the designated target of 600 drug tests during its first year of operation. Figures released yesterday indicate that 327 tests have been carried out since the programme was launched last November and accelerated testing is planned for the period up to and surrounding next month's Olympic Games in Sydney.

Up to the end of April, just 103 tests had been carried out - causing a certain about of scepticism that the crackdown promised for Olympic year by Tourism and Sport Minister, Dr Jim McDaid, would fall short of its target. During that period, only five sports from the 24 then signed up to the anti-doping programme had been approached for testing.

As of last weekend, however, 327 drug tests have been carried out on athletes from 14 different sports. Of those, 283 were conducted in Ireland and 44 abroad with slightly more in-competition (192) compared to out-of-competition tests (135). A total of 29 national governing bodies have now signed up to the terms of the programme.

"This puts the testing programme for the year back on target," said John Treacy, Chief Executive of the ISC. "And with 29 governing bodies now signed up, the scope of the anti-doping programme is widening further."

The GAA is the most significant sporting body yet to sign up to the programme, but according to Treacy, that is now only a matter of time. "Of course we are anxious that everyone is on board by the end of the year. We have been meeting with the GAA and it is something they are working towards at the moment."

The Olympic sports have been priority targets for the ISC's testing agency, Swedish firm IDTM, who will continue to operate on location in Sydney. The 14 sports tested so far are: athletics; badminton; boxing; canoeing; clay pigeon shooting; cycling; equestrian; women's golf; men's golf; rowing; rugby; sailing; swimming and weightlifting.

Boxing has so far turned up the only known positive test but that individual was not sanctioned by the Irish Amateur Boxing Association (IABA) - a decision which failed to satisfy the ISC and eventually brought about the suspension of funding to the IABA.